Scion FR-S vs Subaru BRZ

From two brands, a single vehicle emerges:

The Scion FR-S and the Subaru BRZ are more than identical. The affordable, basic, rear-wheel-drive Japanese sports cars have left people wondering why two different manufacturers have essentially, made the same car.

As with any good idea, everybody wants credit. Toyota claims this design came from the top, that Akio Toyoda demanded a sports car with passion. And Subaru says they approached Toyota, asking the larger firm to underwrite its project. Both companies agree on who handled what during the development of the car; Subaru did the engineering and development of the chassis and powertrain, while Toyota handled the design.

“At the limit, you’ll find the key difference between the Subaru and the Scion. Go screaming into a turn or hop on the gas too early exiting one, and the Subaru simply understeers—perhaps for the benefit of drivers familiar with the brand’s all-wheel-drive products. The Scion uses softer springs and stiffer shocks, and it has a sensitivity to driver inputs that makes it feel alive. Too much or too little throttle upsets the Scion’s balance, sending the car into an easily controlled drift.”

at the end of the day, the cars are almost the same, and consumers can choose which brand they prefer.